Mako
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1933-12-10
Day of Death
2006-07-21 (72 years old)
Place of Birth
Kobe, Japan
Mako
Biography
Mako was born in Kobe, Japan, the son of noted children's book author and illustrator Taro Yashima. His parents moved to the United States when he was a small child. He joined them there after World War II, in 1949, joining the military in the 1950s. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1956. When Mako first joined his parents in the USA, he studied architecture. During his military service, he discovered his theatrical talent, and trained at the Pasadena Community Playhouse. Mako was married to actress Shizuko Hoshi with whom he had two daughters (both are actresses) and three grandchildren.
Acting
(2017)
Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie
as Aku (voice)
(2007)
TMNT
as Splinter (voice)
(2007)
Rise: Blood Hunter
as Poe
(2006)
The Slanted Screen
as Himself
(2005)
Memoirs of a Geisha
as Sakamoto
(2005)
Cages
as Tan
(2003)
Bulletproof Monk
as Mr. Kojima
(2002)
Cruel Game
as Straw Hat
(2001)
Pearl Harbor
as Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto
(2000)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
as Mr. Yamaguchi (voice)
(2000)
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'
as The Wizard (archive footage)
(1999)
(1999)
Alegría: An Enchanting Fable
as Old Momo
(1998)
The Bird People in China
as Shen
(1997)
Seven Years in Tibet
as Kungo Tsarong
(1997)
Riot
as Mr. Lee
(1997)
(1996)
Sworn to Justice
as Mr. Young
(1996)
Balance of Power
as Todo Matsumoto
(1995)
Crying Freeman
as Shudo Shimazaki
(1995)
Midnight Man
as Buun Som
(1994)
Highlander III: The Sorcerer
as Nakano
(1994)
Red Sun Rising
as Buntoro Iga
(1994)
A Dangerous Place
as Sensei
(1993)
RoboCop 3
as Kanemitsu
(1993)
Rising Sun
as Yoshida-san
(1992)
Sidekicks
as Mr. Lee
(1992)
(1992)
Nightingale
as Narrator (voice)
(1991)
The Perfect Weapon
as Kim
(1991)
Strawberry Road
as Frank Machida
(1990)
Pacific Heights
as Toshio Watanabe
(1990)
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes
as Sgt. Moritaki
(1990)
Taking Care of Business
as Mr. Sakamoto
(1990)
Murder in Paradise
as Capt. Kilalo
(1990)
Fatal Mission
as Trang
(1989)
An Unremarkable Life
as Max Chin
(1988)
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
as Jimmy
(1988)
Silent Assassins
as Oyama
(1988)
The Wash
as Nobu Matsumoto
(1986)
P.O.W. The Escape
as Capt. Vinh
(1986)
Kung Fu: The Movie
as The Manchu
(1986)
Armed Response
as Akira Tanaka
(1984)
Conan the Destroyer
as Akiro 'The Wizard'
(1984)
Hawaiian Heat
as Maj. Taro Oshira
(1983)
Testament
as Mike
(1983)
Girls of the White Orchid
as Mori
(1983)
The Nightingale
as Gardener / Minister
(1983)
The Last Ninja
as Aitaro Sakura
(1982)
Conan the Barbarian
as The Wizard / Narrator
(1981)
An Eye for an Eye
as James Chan
(1981)
Under the Rainbow
as Nakomuri
(1981)
The Bushido Blade
as Enjiro
(1980)
The Big Brawl
as Herbert
(1980)
(1979)
When Hell Was in Session
as Maj. Bai
(1976)
Pacific Overtures
as Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble
(1976)
Farewell to Manzanar
as Fukimoto
(1976)
Wataridori: Birds of Passage
as narrator
(1975)
The Killer Elite
as Yuen Chung
(1975)
Prisoners
as Sgt. Nguyen
(1974)
The Island at the Top of the World
as Oomiak
(1974)
Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders
as Tao Gan
(1974)
The Green Hornet
as Low Sing
(1972)
Yokahama Mama
as Rooster (voice)
(1971)
Silence
as Kichijiro
(1971)
If Tomorrow Comes
as Tadashi
(1970)
The Hawaiians
as Mun Ki
(1970)
The Challenge
as Yuro
(1970)
Fools
as Psychiatrist
(1969)
The Great Bank Robbery
as Secret Agent Fong
(1968)
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
as Calvin Coolidge Ishimura
(1966)
The Sand Pebbles
as Po-han
(1966)
The Ugly Dachshund
as Kenji
(1965)
McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force
as Japanese Submarine Captain (uncredited)
(1959)
Never So Few
as Soldier in Hospital